Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns A plug for Ithaca Gun Company, Upper Sandusky, Ohio

I got this one around 10 yrs ago from Collectors Firearms in Houston. It's a first year 20 with solid rib. The barrel was rust blued, the receiver hot blued. You can look closely and tell the difference. The metal was as is, the wood was a mess. Paid $275.

I reworked the wood, recut the checkering. Interestingly discovered that the forearm was 18 lpi, the stock 20 lpi. The only explanation I could find was the concept of a cottage industry like in Spain, where piece work was farmed out. So, I guess different workers checkered the forearm and stock.

It has a Deluxe Polychoke, which at first was a turn off. Even thought about cutting it and installing choke tubes. But the gun is light and I was concerned that it may be too "whippy" without the Polychoke. Besides Polychokes were vintage and the gun is vintage. It has grown on me.

I changed the pitch of the butt plate, not liking the original as much as my Browning Superlight. So the Ithaca now mimics the Superlight. I was criticized on another forum for altering a first year 20 ga. stock. I replied if the gun was valuable, it wouldn't have sold for $275 from a major dealer. I sorta see his point, as these original stocks are hard to find. But, the gun suits me and altering it didn't bother me nearly as much as it bothered him.


DF





[img]https://i.imgur.com/ANOGWim.jpg?1[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/l1qqzfd.jpg?1[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/rCWt44T.jpg?1[/img]

That is about perfect.

Always liked the 37's, never owned one but liked them none the less. Always thought the bottom eject was cool